


Welcome Back

by Jb1979jb



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: F/M, Kinda, Post Series 2, pre series 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2019-10-03 02:07:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17275073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jb1979jb/pseuds/Jb1979jb
Summary: Set between S2 and S3, Hardy returns to Broadchurch.





	1. Chapter 1

Back against his car, squinting into the morning sun, Alec Hardy sighed into his mobile as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Darlin’, please. It’s just one more week - ”

“There’s a train leaving here in two hours. I could be in Broadchurch tonight.”

“You have to finish the term at school first. That was the agreement. Do you really want to be months behind because of a row with your mother?”

Hardy heard Daisy groan into the other end of the line. “She’s driving me crackers. She won’t leave me alone for even a minute. Dave keeps trying to help, but he’s such a knob. And Cadence and McKenzie are being such bitches about –“

“One more week, Daze,” Hardy interrupted. “I know it’s hard, but you’ve done it for sixteen years already. One more week is doable. I’ve got to get myself sorted out here first, unless you fancy living in a hotel.” Hardy pulled the phone away from his ear to check the time. “I’ve got to go. Back at work this morning.”

“Fine,” Daisy responded glumly.

“I’ll see you this weekend, yeah? Love you, darlin’.”

“Yeah. Me, too.”

Hardy hung up and deposited the mobile into his jacket pocket. Looking up at the station, he straightened his tie and stood up a bit taller, ignoring the nagging feeling of – nerves? Anticipation? – that somewhat chilled his stomach. With a deep breath, Hardy started up the steps towards the front door he’d exited two years earlier.

 

“…We’ve made several new hires in the last few months to keep up with population growth, and the constabulary have allocated funds for us to take on four new PCs and two new DCs.” The Chief Super spoke over her shoulder as Hardy trailed her into CID. “Hope you like reading CVs.” Hardy felt that interjecting with an opinion would be bad form that early in the workday as he surveyed the bullpen. Although Hardy couldn’t name any names, a few of the faces were recognizable, though several were new. One notable exception, however, was nowhere to be seen.

The Chief Super cleared her throat. “People, may I have your attention?” The hum of the CID quieted as people stopped their conversations and looked up at her. “Please welcome back Alec Hardy. He’s taking over for D.I. Sanderson. D.I. Hardy joins us from the South Mercia Constabulary, and a few of you worked with him here back in 2013.” The eyes of CID were on Hardy now. He shifted uncomfortably. Was he meant to say something?

Hardy cleared his own throat and nodded at the room. “Right,” he said. The unfamiliar faces furrowed their brows in confusion while Hardy heard a few light snickers from the old guard as activity recommenced in the room. The Chief Super gave her own snort of laughter.

“Inspiring,” she quipped. Hardy gave the room another surreptitious scan and tried to ignore the sting of disappointment. He caught site of an empty seat at a utilized desk. The computer’s monitor was off, but Hardy noticed a picture tacked onto the cubicle’s wall. It looked to be Tom and wee Fred, a few years older but unmistakable. So Miller was still in CID, Hardy realized. Nowhere to be seen at the moment, but the observation was enough to help alleviate a bit of the apprehension he’d felt since walking in the building.

“Alec?” The Chief Super once again grabbed Hardy’s attention. She nodded towards her office. “Shall we get started?”

Once again, Hardy nodded as he followed the Chief Super, still wondering about Miller’s whereabouts, but ready to focus on the tasks ahead.

 

The next morning brought plenty of paperwork and pressing items to Hardy’s desk, but Miller’s remained empty. Hardy only made it until half nine before curiosity got the best of him. As he made the short drive to Miller’s house, Hardy chastised himself for not having the patience to wait for her to return to work after whatever this absence was, be it a holiday or the flu or any other reason a person might be gone for a few days.

A car was parked in Miller’s driveway, but her house seemed otherwise quiet. Hardy briefly hesitated before knocking. No answer. He tried again, knocking more loudly a few more times before he could hear footsteps lumbering down the stairs inside. As the door flew open, Hardy found himself face to face with an enraged Ellie Miller.

“Bloody hell, what?!” Ellie snapped, one arm in her dressing gown while pushing her hair off her face. She froze in surprise as she got a look at her visitor. Ellie stared up at Hardy with bewilderment. “Jesus Christ.”

Hardy raised a hand in greeting. “Nope, just me.” Ellie shrugged on her robe as they both stood awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Hardy assessed Ellie’s pajamas and limp hair. “Um, did you just wake up?”

“Did you drive all the way here from Sandbrook to question me on my sleeping habits?”

“It’s gone ten. Why aren’t you at work?”

“Why aren’t you?!” Ellie turned and stalked off into her house. Hardy decided to accept the still-open door as an invitation to come in. Closing it behind him, Hardy stood in the doorway of Ellie’s kitchen, watching her fill the kettle and slam down mugs with far more force than necessary.

“I’m back in CID. I’m taking Sanderson’s position.”

“I knew that.”

“You did?”

“Yes. There was a bloody email.” Ellie pulled a carton of milk from the fridge and shoved it into Hardy’s hands as she surveyed the kitchen cabinets for tea bags. He held onto the container, unsure of why she had given it to him rather than leave it at the kitchen table with the mugs.

“I’m surprised you didn’t apply.”

Ellie shrugged and shot him daggers, boxes of tea in both hands. “I’d prefer a couple extra hours of sleep to this early morning career counseling session, you know.”

“It’s not that early.” Ellie deposited the boxes on the table and rattled the kitchen drawers, looking for spoons. She sat at the kitchen table with the kettle. Hardy, after a moment’s trepidation, sat across from her. “Are you ill?”

“No.” Ellie poured water into her mug before pushing the kettle towards Hardy. “I didn’t get to bed last night. I dropped Fred off at nursery and came back here to sleep.” She gestured her mug towards Hardy. “And here you are, and now my plan is shot to shit.” It occurred to Ellie that she hadn’t bothered to put on a bra under her t-shirt before answering the door, but in her tiredness she didn’t much care. “I’m on leave, for the duration.”

Hardy stirred milk in his tea. “The duration of what?”

Ellie hesitated a moment before sipping her tea. “My mum’s in hospice. She has lung cancer. She developed legions on her brain in the past few months, and in the last week or so, she’s become fairly unresponsive.” Ellie sighed. “Any day now. We thought she was going last night, but she’s still holding on.”

“Christ,” Hardy exhaled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Ellie shrugged, mug in hand. “I didn’t expect you to.” Neither spoke for a moment. Elle peered at Hardy over her mug. “Why are you back in Broadchurch?”

Hardy gave his head a light shake. “No reason,” he said, sipping his tea.

Ellie gave him a defeated look. “I feel as if I should give you a bollocking, but I don’t have the energy.” As they both sat at the table, Hardy hunched over his mug, Ellie leaning back in her seat, Hardy reflected on what he’d expected – hoped – reuniting with Miller would have been like. This wasn’t the scenario he had pictured. Hardy was a bit braver in his own thoughts than he was in person at that moment. After a couple of years of emails deleted before sending, text messages erased, pulling up contacts without completing the call – Hardy wondered why it was so hard to tell the truth. I missed you. That’s all he had to say. Why was it so impossible to get a few simple words out?

Hardy pushed away his now empty cup and cleared his throat. “Well, just wanted to check in. I’ll let you get back to sleep. Um… ring if you need anything.”

Ellie nodded. “I should be back in a few days. I gave my caseload to Tony Matthews. Just don’t let him make a dog’s breakfast of it while I’m gone.”

Ellie walked Hardy to the front door and watched him pull away. Through his rear-view mirror, Hardy noticed Ellie still standing at her front door as he drove off.

 

A couple mornings later, Hardy stood in his newly leased house, snapping a few photos on his mobile as the rental agent annotated some paperwork in the kitchen. Hardy texted the photos to Daisy while the agent pulled some keys from an envelope. “So we’re sorted here,” said the agent as he handed the keys to Hardy. “You can ring the office if you need anything.” They shook hands before the agent departed. Hardy’s mobile buzzed with Daisy’s response. A few emojis seemed to indicate her approval. His phone in his hand, Hardy idly wondered if he should check in with Miller. He hadn’t spoken to her since they’d had tea in her kitchen, but he didn’t want to overstep. With his mobile back in his pocket, Hardy exited his new flat and made his way down the hill towards the station.

 

The next evening, Hardy finished up in CID and made his way to Sainsbury’s, realizing that he could no longer get away with an unstocked fridge and empty cupboards with a teenager in the house. Tess was driving Daisy down in a couple of days. Hardy was elated for her arrival, if not a bit nervous, and was determined to rebuild a pleasant home for himself and his daughter in Broadchurch.

Pushing a trolley around the store, Hardy was momentarily unsure of what to buy. What did Daisy actually like to eat? Self-doubt took over his mental shopping list as Hardy mulled over his daughter’s inevitable move. Turning a corner, Hardy was caught by surprise as he spotted Miller, arms folded, staring blankly at the deli counter. He paused for a moment, until Ellie caught sight of him looking. Hardy inferred from her listless expression that it was probably over for her mother. He tentatively pushed the trolley in her direction as Ellie looked back towards the counter.

“All right?”

Ellie sighed. “Yesterday afternoon.” She shifted on her feet, wrapping her coat around her body. “She’d been unconscious for a few days. The funeral’s Saturday, and there’s a wake at my house after. Family’s a bit much at the moment, so I thought I’d get the platters and go home and start setting up.” Ellie looked over into Hardy’s empty trolley. “You know, you’re meant to put shopping in there.”

Hardy scoffed a bit, internally glad to see Miller was still taking the piss when the opportunity arose.  A teenage employee appeared behind the counter, depositing three large platters of sandwiches in front of the pair.  “Do I pay for these here or up front?” Ellie inquired. 

“You can pay here,” replied the employee.  “I need to grab the rest of the trays from the back first.”

“Bloody hell, there’s more?”  Ellie raised her brows in surprise. 

“Yep, seven more,” replied the teenager, disappearing into a back room.

“Christ,” Ellie exhaled.  “Lucy ordered all this, and I get to pay for it.  Story of my bloody life.”

Hardy pushed his empty trolley towards her.  “Here, you’ll need this.”

“Thanks,” Ellie responded.  “Aren’t, um – you using it?”

“Nah.”  Hardy shook his head.  “I’ll take Daisy shopping when she gets here. Didn’t really know what to buy.”

“Oh.”  Ellie looked curious.  “She’s visiting?”

“Um, moving, actually. She’s starting sixth form here. She and Tess will be here Saturday evening.”

 Ellie was caught off guard.  “Oh.”  Neither spoke as the teenaged employee staggered out with trays of cut cheeses and fruit before retreating back.  “So, um, is Tess looking for a position in Broadchurch, because I hadn’t heard about –“

“Tess isn’t staying. Just dropping Daisy off.”

“Oh,” Ellie once again repeated. The Sainsbury employee reappeared with a couple of veg trays. 

“Two more,” he said, once again leaving the pair.  Ellie picked up the trays and moved them into the trolley.

“When you left before, I just assumed –“

“What?”

Ellie shook her head. “Nothing.”  She pointed at the trays on the counter.  “This the last of it?” she asked the teenaged employee.  He nodded as Ellie handed him her credit card.  “Well, if you ever wondered what 400 pounds worth of deli trays looks like…” Hardy loaded the trolley as Ellie signed the receipt.  They exited the building together in companionable silence, loading the boot of Ellie’s car with the trays.  Hardy cleared his throat.

 “Do you – do you need help setting up?”

“Um, Beth Latimer’s at my house right now.  She, Tom, and I were going to get everything sorted tonight.”  Ellie paused.  “Thanks, though.  The funeral’s at eleven on Saturday, but don’t feel that you have to –“

“I’ll be there,” Hardy interrupted.

Ellie nodded. “Well, then – see ya.”

Hardy raised a hand in goodbye as both climbed in their respective vehicles and drove off.

 

The churchyard outside of St. Bede’s seemed claustrophobic on the sunny Saturday as mourners stood among the headstones, chatting idly as they waited for the burial to begin. Ellie surveyed the yard, holding Fred by the hand.  He was fairly wriggly after the long service.  As Ellie scooped him up to balance him on her hip, she realized it wouldn’t be too long before she wouldn’t be able to carry him anymore. Lucy joined her, assessing Ellie’s outfit with a withering look.

 “I can’t believe you wore a suit.  You look like you’re about to go question a drug pusher.” 

“Well, didn’t want to miss an opportunity to let Mum down one last time,” Ellie retorted. The last couple of weeks had been difficult enough on their own, but Lucy’s constant arguments about the funeral plans and the death notice had exacerbated Ellie’s stress.  Lucy scoffed as she stalked away, the hem of her not-particularly-church-appropriate wrap dress swaying as she walked. Mum would have had choice words about Lucy’s neckline.  Ellie nearly laughed out loud at her own thought.  Tom glumly shuffled over to take his aunt’s place by Ellie’s side.  Ellie wrapped her free arm around Tom as he leaned into her shoulder.  None of the Millers spoke as they looked over the crowd, Ellie holding up the weight of both her children while various relatives and long time family friends mingled around them.

As Hardy exited the church, he scanned the yard for Ellie.  He kept his distance as he spotted her with her sons, not wanting to intrude.  

It wasn’t long before the funeral goers had reconvened for the wake, encroaching Ellie’s physical and emotional space.  Between barbs from Lucy and plenty of tone-deaf comments from extended family, Ellie was ready to vacate her own home and run straight into the ocean just to get herself some peace.  Hardy had spent the better part of an hour nursing a small glass of wine, making awkward small talk with the handful of Broadchurch residents he actually recognized.  Hardy glanced up at Miller, looking for an opening that wasn’t happening as she greeted the endless stream of visitors, teeth gritted under a smile plastered on her face. Hardy excused himself from his conversation with Paul Coates and Maggie Radcliffe – easy enough to do, since he wasn’t exactly participating – to make his way over to Ellie, who was talking to an older woman.

“Nope, not seeing anyone, Aunt Deborah.”  Ellie feared she’d bite through her own tongue in an attempt to stop herself from saying something regretful. 

Aunt Deborah gave Ellie a patronizing smile.  “Sweetheart, you’re not getting any younger.”

“I’m aware of that, Aunt Deborah.”

“What about Joe? You won’t consider giving him another chance?”

Ellie forced a smile. “Well, last I saw him, I told him I’d kill him if he ever came back, so… no.  Thanks for coming by!”  To Hardy’s surprise, Ellie grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away.  “I think I may burn down the house with everyone inside,” she hissed as guests milled around them.

“Come outside and get some air, yeah?”  Hardy and Miller inched their way towards the front door and out into the afternoon sun. 

They walked away from the house, ambling in silence.  Ellie couldn’t help but notice that, despite his absence, there was no awkwardness between her and Hardy.   Much like stepping into a well-worn pair of shoes, they had seemingly picked up exactly where they’d left off after a two year pause.  As they approached the high street, Ellie felt a lot of the tension of the week falling away.  Naturally, this seemed as good as time as any to upend the status quo.  “Why are you really back?”

Hardy groaned. “Miller –“

Ellie interrupted. “No, you’re not telling me something.  I know it.” 

Hardy felt his mobile buzz in his pocket.  Grateful for the interruption, he glanced at the screen.  Tess. 

“All right?”

“Where are you? We were just at your gaffe.”

“I thought you weren’t coming until five.” 

“Daze was eager to get started early and we made good time.  I assumed you’d be home.”

“Bloody hell, Tess.” Ellie looked on curiously. “Just come down the high street, we’re close by and I’ll meet you there.”

“Who’s ‘we’?”

 Hardy sighed. “It’s a five minute drive, just come down.”  Hanging up, he turned towards Miller.  “Daisy’s arrived early.”  They rounded the corner onto the high street as Tess pulled to the curb. Rolling down the passenger side window, Tess peered past Daisy and up towards Ellie and Hardy. 

“Hi, Dad,” Daisy said as she leaned out the open window, encircling her father in a limited hug. He returned it with a kiss to her head.  Ellie stood behind him, unsure if she should stay or depart.  Tess glanced curiously from Ellie to Hardy.

“Where are you two coming from?”

“A wake.”

“Oh.  Who died?”

“Erm… Miller’s mum.”

“Oh,” Tess repeated, glancing over at Ellie.  “I’m sorry.”

Ellie nodded, shifting slightly uncomfortably.  “Thank you.”

Daisy’s eyes lit up in recognition.  She pointed over at Ellie.  “Oh, you’re Ellie Miller.” 

“Um… yes.”

No one was sure of what to say until Tess cleared her throat.  “Well, it’s been a long drive, and Daisy’s eager to see the new house…”

“Right.”  Hardy nodded as he straightened up. Momentarily, he was unsure of what to do.  Happy as he was to see his daughter, he didn’t want to leave Miller behind. 

“Well, get in,” Tess called out, unable to keep the irritation out of her voice.  Hardy glanced back at Ellie, while Tess looked over as well.  “Ellie, we’ll give you a lift back to…”

 “It’s at my house. Um, thanks, but I think I’ll walk back.”  Ellie smiled down at Daisy.  “Welcome to Broadchurch.  Hopefully I’ll see you soon.”  She departed with a wave, rounding a corner and disappearing out of site.  Hardy couldn’t help but feel the nag of guilt as he pushed his way into the crowded back seat of Tess’ car.  Tess looked at him in the rearview mirror with a surprised raise of her eyebrows.

“What’s all this, then?”

“Bloody hell, Tess.” 

As Tess drove off, Hardy couldn’t help but feel the sensation of being pulled in two separate directions.  Why did it feel like he was making some kind of mistake?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just for you, Southbroom!

“Well, darlin’?” Hardy inquired as Daisy peered out the bay windows of the hut. “What do you think?”

Daisy gave the sitting room another long look before nodding. “It’s nice.”

Tess gave a light snort of laughter as she placed a box on the ground. “You’ve got your father’s enthusiastic way with words.” Daisy rolled her eyes as Hardy fixed Tess with a look of his own. Tess snickered again, shaking her head as she peeled the tape off the box. Hardy turned his attention back towards Daisy, shifting awkwardly.

“Well, Daize, now that you’re here…” Hardy paused. “Um, where shall we start? Are you… hungry? Do you want to look around the town?”

Daisy again peeked outside. “Yeah… could we go to the beach later? Stop at the chippie first?” She looked back towards her father. “Don’t you have to go back to the wake later?”

In his peripheral vision, Hardy could see Tess glancing over with curiosity. He shook his head. “No. They’re probably finishing up soon.”

“Don’t change your plans on our account,” Tess told Hardy, brows raised. He tried his best to conceal a sigh.

“It’s a funeral, not a lock-in. It’s not going to last through the wee hours of the morning.”

Daisy scoffed. “I’ve never been to a wake, Dad. I don’t know how long they last.”

Hardy cursed himself internally. Daisy hadn’t been a Broadchurch resident more than a half hour and already the situation was souring. “I know, darlin’, I’m sorry. We’ve all had a long day. Look… we can have tea at the beach, relax a bit, yeah?”

Daisy didn’t meet his eye as she nodded. She bent to pick up a cardboard box. She used her free hand to grab the handle of her suitcase. “I’m going to unpack these.” Hardy murmured an acknowledgement as Daisy walked down the hall towards her new bedroom.

Tess didn’t speak. Instead, she just looked from Hardy to Daisy and back again. Tensions tended to run hot when Daisy and Tess were together. At least, that’s what Hardy had always assumed. Things had been much more calm when he and Daisy spent one-on-one time together back in Sandbrook. Hardy considered if he hadn’t been arrogant in mentally blaming Tess for the constant bickering with Daisy. Maybe it was a phase Daisy was going through. Or maybe his moving back to Sandbrook had strained the relationship between Tess and Daisy.

It had been two years since Hardy returned to Sandbrook. It felt like a lifetime. After Claire, Ricky, and Lee were sentenced for the murders of Lisa and Pippa, Hardy felt he’d been riding on a high. He never moved into Tess’ house, but spent enough time at the family table and in Tess’ bed that it felt like the splintered pieces of their previous life were beginning to reassemble. He leased his own flat and took consulting jobs, knowing that being rehired in Sandbrook’s CID was unlikely, even after the conclusion of the case. For the first year, Hardy, Tess, and Daisy enjoyed rekindling their family dynamic.

However, the peace wouldn’t last. Hardy and Tess awoke one night to Tess’ mobile ringing. Daisy had been arrested for a DWI after causing a minor traffic accident. She’d borrowed Tess’ car under the guise of getting a bite to eat with some mates. Instead, they’d had drinks at an older girl’s house. No one had been hurt, and Daisy was ordered to perform community service after losing her driving license. However, gossip quickly spread the news around CID and Daisy’s school. Tess had been mortified that uniformed officers in her department had been the ones to make the arrest, and Daisy became the target of bullying from her classmates. The stress of the situation formed fractures in the family relationship. Both Tess and Hardy volleyed between anger over Daisy’s stupidity as well as despair at the turmoil they all faced at work and school. In the upheaval, Hardy and Tess fell into old habits, turning against each other rather than maintaining a united front. Daisy was genuinely remorseful for her actions, but soon became the recipient of a steady barrage of abusive messages over social media and face-to-face taunting in school. Her relationships with friends fell apart, and her marks slipped significantly. At home, Hardy felt that Tess was being too hard on Daisy by imposing additional punishments and restrictions. Tess accused Hardy of being too soft on discipline.

It came as no shock to Hardy that Tess eventually sat him down and informed him she and Dave were making another go of it. They’d never properly been a couple, wanting to keep a low profile after the murder investigation fell apart. However, as time went on and the community became forgetful, Tess and Dave found themselves prepared to move forward. Hardy hadn’t been surprised. His reconciled relationship with Tess ended the night of Daisy’s arrest, and Tess – true to form – had eventually found stress relief in Dave’s arms. Although not unexpected, it still stung Hardy.

Hardy thought back to an evening several months prior. He had picked up Daisy from Tess’ house and brought her round to his flat for takeaway. Tess was right – Daisy had inherited much of Hardy’s difficulty in expressing her emotions. That night was an exception, however, as he watched her sob, relaying the difficulties at school and with Tess as she stared down at her untouched Thai noodles. As Daisy cried, Hardy considered the options. Sandbrook wasn’t the place for him, and it was quickly closing in on Daisy as well. To his relief, both Daisy and Tess agreed to let Daisy relocate with Hardy and start sixth form in a new city. He prayed that Daisy would learn from her errors and thrive in the anonymity of a new environment. Up until that moment in the new gaff, Hardy had felt uncharacteristically optimistic about the change - at least, until Daisy sulked away, leaving Tess and Hardy alone in the front room.

With a sigh, Hardy stacked a few of Daisy’s cartons against the wall. Tess continued to silently unpack the box she held. Since Dave reentered the picture, Tess and Hardy avoided being alone together as often as they could. Hardy reflected on how his most recent split with Tess was different than the first. When they’d divorced, it felt like a loss. This time, Hardy was too fatigued with the situation to even muster up anger or disappointment. Maybe having Daisy back made this one different, he surmised to himself.

Hardy was lost enough in his own thoughts that Tess’ voice caught him off guard. “What was that earlier?” she asked, breaking down an empty cardboard carton. 

“What from earlier?”

“When we picked you up. You were with Ellie Miller.”

Hardy could see the direction Tess was taking. He just shrugged as he pushed the stacked cartons aside. “I already told you. We were at her mum’s wake.”

Tess scoffed. “You were walking down the high street. Didn’t see any other mourners milling about.”

All Hardy could do was shrug. “What?” Tess’ implications were loud and clear. Even during the high points of their reconciliation, Miller had been somewhat a source of contention. Tess had asked him several times what had gone on between them, and never seemed to buy the answer “nothing.” Life in Sandbrook had given Hardy plenty of distractions over the past couple of years, but thoughts of Miller did occasionally creep inside his head. Every time he had the urge to contact her, he’d pulled away – not wanting to interfere, or be a bother, or upend things with Tess. As time went on, Hardy wondered if he’d confused emotional turmoil with something else. Both he and Miller had clung to the murders of Pippa and Lisa like a life raft when everything around them was seemingly falling apart. Both of them poured everything they had into the case as a means of hiding from their fears of the future. Hardy had to ask himself if he mistook the vulnerability of the situation for intimacy. Maybe the feelings he’d developed were just due to proximity and too much time spent together. It wasn’t as if Miller had contacted him in the last two years, either. Any confusion he’d had about their relationship had been cleared up when Miller sent him on his way with a firm handshake. Still, Hardy didn’t dare go into the minutiae of the whole situation with Tess that afternoon, as they stood together in his house, surrounded by cartons. Tess’ expression remained unconvinced, so Hardy tried again. “We’d gone to get some air. You know how those things are, they can be a bit much.”

Tess gave him a wry smile. “Good luck that you were there to be supportive, yeah?”

Hardy scoffed. “Can we please bloody move on?” He did question his timing, however. Once Daisy and Tess agreed to the move, Hardy began job hunting. Just seeing a listing on the force’s website for the job in Broadchurch made his heart turn a bit. He’d been lucky to get reinstated as D.I. in Broadchurch, seeing that it had been the only application he’d put through. Hardy accepted that he may have mistaken timing for serendipity, since the position came open at the same time as their move. He hadn’t returned with a plan or an agenda, but he also hadn’t imagined that he’d arrive during a time when Miller was swept up in family issues. Hardy realized he may have been naïve to assume she’d have nothing going on. Miller was a single mum with two challenging sons, a demanding job, and exhausting relatives. There wouldn’t be open periods for her. For all he knew, Miller could have quit, moved, or met someone new during their time apart. None of those things had happened, of course, but she was weighed down under plenty of responsibilities, and Hardy didn’t want to further burden her by pushing himself into her already chaotic life.

Hardy continued to try his best to ignore Tess as they unpacked. He forced himself to focus on his daughter, and reminded himself why he’d truly relocated in the first place.

 

By the time the sun went down, the guests at the wake had departed, but left plenty of glasses and other rubbish behind. Ellie moved through the bottom story of her house with a bin liner, clearing paper plates and empty cups from tabletops and the edges of bookshelves. She glanced into the sitting room as she tidied, peeking in on her father. He was sat at one end of the sofa, watching nothing on the blank screen of the telly. Fred and Lizzie were passed out next to him, dead to the world after the long reception. Lucy, Tom, Chloe, Mark, and Beth were scattered around the house, helping her clean up.

They mostly worked in silence, tired and subdued after the wake. Ellie could sense tension among the adult Latimers. She hadn’t seen Mark and Beth interact much that afternoon outside a few clipped words, and Chloe seemed to give her parents a wide berth. Ellie joined Beth in the kitchen, depositing the rubbish bag into the bin. Beth stood at the sink, washing wine glasses. Ellie gave her arm a squeeze as she grabbed an empty liner.

“Thanks for being here,” Ellie told Beth. Beth gave her a smile as she dried a glass. 

“Happy to,” Beth replied. She placed the dried glass upside down, next to several other clean vessels. She looked back over at Ellie with an inquisitive expression. “Did I see your old boss here earlier?”

“Alec Hardy?” Ellie replied. “Well, current boss. He just moved back to the area.”

“Oh,” Beth said, rinsing a glass. “So Sanderson finally buggered off?”

“Yes, thank god,” Ellie snickered. She took the wine glass from Beth and dried it herself. Beth picked up another glass and looked over at Ellie with brows raised. “If the D.I. position was open, why didn’t you apply?”

It was the second time in the past few days someone had asked Ellie about the job. She hesitated, knowing she needed to choose her words carefully. “After everything… I don’t think I would be considered seriously for a promotion. Not so long as I’m here. It wouldn’t look good for CID.” Beth paused before nodding. She understood. Danny’s death had wide spread implications for them both, and even as time went on, neither would ever truly escape them. Ellie wanted to redirect the conversation a bit. “Are you alright?” Ellie asked Beth quietly. 

“Um, yeah,” Beth replied, straightening the row of clean glasses. It was a moment before she spoke again. “Honestly, your boss being here threw me off a bit. I hadn’t seen him since the trial. Felt a bit weird. I’ll always associate him with Dan, I guess.”

Ellie nodded. Beth’s admission caught her slightly off guard. When she’d inquired, she’d assumed Beth would talk about her issues with Mark, not Hardy.

“I understand.” Ellie gave Beth another smile. She picked up bin liner back up and made her way out of the kitchen into her dark back garden. Guests had congregated outdoors, leaving plenty of mess for Ellie to clean up. As she walked around alone, picking up rubbish, Ellie suddenly felt the weight of the previous days come down on her. It had been a hectic few weeks, arranging her mother’s care, looking after her father and children, arguing with Lucy, and planning all the details of the funeral and burial and wake. Ellie had a tricky relationship with her mother for as long as she could remember. They frequently clashed, disagreeing over everything from schoolwork to Ellie’s birth plans to holidays to clothing to politics… there wasn’t a time in her life where Ellie couldn’t remember sparring with her mum over anything that came up. Her mother had been one of the few people who disliked Joe upon meeting him. Ellie couldn’t hold in a rueful laugh. Mum had definitely been right then. Despite their differences, Ellie did love her mother. She suddenly realized, after 43 years of bickering, she’d never argue with her mum again. Ellie let the bin liner drop to the ground as hot tears pricked at her eyes. In the blur of activity in the last few days, she hadn’t had an opportunity to stop and feel the magnitude of the loss. A few tears spilled to her cheeks. Ellie brushed them away, staring out into the darkness of the overgrown garden. She heard footsteps approaching from behind. Ellie tried her best to compose herself before looking backwards to see Chloe walking up. 

Chloe gave her a tentative smile. “Alright?” she asked Ellie. Ellie nodded, running the back of her hands under her eyes to wipe away errant tears. She drew in a breath to steady her voice.

“I am. Just got to be a bit much for a moment.” Chloe nodded. Ellie knew she understood all too well. “How about you, lovely?”

Chloe hesitated before responding. “Oh, you know.” Chloe gave a backwards glance at the house. Ellie followed her gaze. They could see figures moving behind the closed blinds. “They’re bickering all the time,” Chloe quietly told Ellie. They turned back towards the garden. “They fight over every bloody stupid thing. I can’t stand it.” Ellie felt for Chloe. Mark and Beth’s relationship only grew more tense with time. Beth had confided in Ellie several times that she was considering a separation. Ellie figured it was only a matter of time before it actually happened. Chloe once again looked surreptitiously towards the closed blinds before glancing back at Ellie. Chloe fished around inside the pocket of her jacket before pulling out a haggard-looking cigarette. Ellie raised her brows in surprise.

“Bloody hell, Chloe, you’re not actually smoking, are you?”

Chloe paused, a smile creeping onto her lips. “There’s no tobacco in this. Well, not anymore.” She gestured the refurbished joint towards Ellie. “I think we’ve both earned this. What do you say?”

Ellie was monetarily lost for words. A police officer smoking weed with her best mate’s eighteen-year-old offspring was very bad form. And working in CID did mean she could be potentially subjected to random drug testing. However, it had been ages since the last time she’d been asked for one. It had been even than the last time she’d actually taken a hit. It had been during a backyard barbeque with friends, when Tom was only wee. Maybe the new boss would be understanding, Ellie thought wryly to herself, in the unlikely event she did get caught. “Fine,” she whispered to Chloe. “But this stays between us.”

Chloe giggled as she pulled out a lighter. She took the first drag, pulling in a deep breath before handing the joint and the lighter to Ellie. Ellie held the lighter to the end of the cigarette, sputtering and coughing a bit as the familiar burn hit her throat and lungs. She couldn’t help but laugh as she passed the paraphernalia back to Chloe, who took another hit. Ellie’s second attempt was more successful, holding the smoke in before letting it out slowly. The pair peeled into quiet snickers, occasionally looking back towards the house, remaining unseen.

Chloe’s intervention did make the remainder of the evening run more smoothly as the group finished cleaning the house. The pot took the edge off, and no one seemed to notice anything unusual about her or Chloe – or they were too wrapped up in themselves to care. After the Latimers and Lucy left for their own homes, her children were asleep, and her father had shut himself away in her box room, Ellie climbed into bed, tired, but much more relaxed. She turned off her bedside lamp and lay down, grabbing her phone to check her messages before settling for the night. Hardy popped into her mind as she flipped through a handful of condolence texts. She typed his name into her texts and pulled up their messaging history. The last messages they’d exchanged were from two years prior, relaying information about the Sandbrook interrogations back and forth. Ellie reread the old texts for a few moments. She thought back to the afternoon, especially the peculiar expressions on Hardy and Tess’ faces. Why had he seemed so hesitant? Why was Tess on edge? Ellie didn’t have the answers as she continued to read. She had her suspicions, but chalked up the fleeting thoughts to exhaustion and haze. She decided it may be a tad narcissistic to assume that the awkwardness between ex-spouses was somehow due to her. Ellie moved to put her phone down on the beside table before the fading remnants of her buzz spurred her on. Picking up her mobile, she reopened the texts, pulling up her message history with Hardy. Ellie tapped away at the screen.

I’m glad you’re back.

Ellie read and reread her unsent message a few moments before hitting backspace to delete the words. She wasn’t sure what she intended to get from sending the message. With a sigh, Ellie set down the phone before pulling the sheets up to her chin and turning on her side.

 

Hardy walked into CID early Monday morning. Tess had returned to Sandbrook Saturday evening after a tense family supper. He and Daisy shared an enjoyable Sunday together as he showed her the limited sites in town. Daisy was still asleep when Hardy left for work that morning. He walked down to the station, expecting to find an empty office. However, he was surprised to see Miller already seated at her desk, tea in hand, checking her email. He cleared his throat to get her attention. Ellie looked up with a bit of her own surprise.

Hardy was momentarily unsure of what to say. “You’re here early,” he said, internally cringing at his obvious remark.

Ellie nodded. “I wanted to get caught up before everyone else arrived. I’m two weeks behind on everything.” They were silent for a moment, Hardy standing and Ellie leaning back in her chair. She sipped at her tea. “How’s Daisy?”

“Um, adjusting,” Hardy replied. “She seems happy to be here.”

“That’s good,” Ellie responded. She hesitated. “And Tess?”

Hardy shrugged. “Headed back to Sandbrook Saturday night.” He paused. “Erm, how did the rest of the wake go?”

Ellie sighed. “As to be expected. You know how it is.” She looked up at Hardy. “You were fairly young when your mum died, right?” Hardy was momentarily taken aback. Ellie continued. “You mentioned it a few years ago. I just assumed you were a kid when it happened.”

“I was fourteen,” Hardy replied. “She had congestive heart failure, been battling it for a few years before she passed.”

Ellie raised her mug to her lips. “Couldn’t have been easy for you.”

Hardy shook his head. “It wasn’t.” He shifted on his heels. He couldn’t get a feel on the atmosphere in the otherwise empty office. Was it awkwardness? Intimacy? Or was he just imagining things? Hardy cleared his throat. “Well, um… welcome back.”

Ellie nodded. “You too.” She pivoted her chair back in the direction of her computer. Hardy momentarily reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. He hesitated, pulling away before she noticed. He headed towards his office and left Ellie to concentrate on her own work with so much left unsaid.


End file.
